Hibiscus plant named ‘Baja Breeze’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Hibiscus  plant named ‘Baja Breeze’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading, uniform, dense and symmetrical plant habit that is appropriate for container production; glossy and dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; red-colored flowers with dark red-colored centers; good resistance to flower bud abscission during shipping; and tolerance to pathogens common to  Hibiscus  grown under Florida production conditions.

Botanical designation: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Baja Breeze’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus, botanically known as Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Baja Breeze’.

The new Hibiscus is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching Hibiscus cultivars with a dense, uniform and compact plant habit appropriate for container production, early and uniform flowering, numerous flowers per lateral branch, desirable flower color and good postproduction longevity.

The new Hibiscus originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. in early 1999, of a proprietary Hibiscus rosa-sinensis selection, designated as code number YB-1676, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Hibiscus rosa-sinensis selection, designated as code number YB-1364, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar Baja Breeze was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla. on Sep. 13, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new Hibiscus by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla., since February, 2001, has shown that the unique features of this new Hibiscus are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Baja Breeze has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Baja Breeze’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Baja Breeze’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading, uniform, dense and symmetrical         plant habit that is appropriate for container production.     -   2. Glossy and dark green-colored leaves.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Red-colored flowers with dark red centers.     -   5. Good resistance to flower bud abscission during shipping.     -   6. Tolerant to pathogens common to Hibiscus grown under Florida         production conditions.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the female parent, the proprietary Hibiscus selection code number YB-1676. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus are not as vigorous as plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as flowers of plants of the female parent         selection do not have dark red centers.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the male parent, the proprietary Hibiscus selection code number YB-1364. Plants of the new Hibiscus differ from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parent selection have scarlet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hibiscus can be compared to plants of the Hibiscus cultivar Flaming Wind, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,772. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Hibiscus differed from plants of the cultivar Flaming Wind in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hibiscus flowered earlier than plants of         the cultivar Flaming Wind.     -   2. Plants of the new Hibiscus had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar Flaming Wind.     -   3. Flower color of plants of the new Hibiscus was more intense         and resisted fading better than flower color of plants of the         cultivar Flaming Wind.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Hibiscus, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Hibiscus.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of five typical flowering plants of ‘Baja Breeze’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Baja Breeze’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Alva, Fla., with five plants per 16.5-cm container in polyethylene-covered greenhouses during the late summer under conditions which closely approximate commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16 to 37° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13 to 26° C. Plants were about four months old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivar Baja     Breeze. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Proprietary selection of Hibiscus             rosa-sinensis designated as code number YB-1676, not             patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Hibiscus             rosa-sinensis designated as code number YB-1364, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at temperatures of 24°             C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About four weeks at temperatures of             24° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Somewhat freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen, upright,             outwardly spreading, uniform, dense and symmetrical plant             habit; inverted triangle. Moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, usually about four             lateral branches develop after removal of terminal apex.         -   Plant height.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 46 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 25.5 cm. Diameter:             About 5 mm. Internode length: About 2.8 cm. Strength:             Strong, but flexible. Texture: Immature, pubescent; mature,             woody and rough. Color: Immature: Close to 146A overlain             with close to 187A. Mature: Close to 197A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single;             numerous; symmetrical. Length: About 7.8 cm. Width: About             7.2 cm. Shape: Ovate to cordate. Apex: Acute; typically             reflexed. Base: Cordate to obtuse. Margin: Crenate. Texture,             upper surface: Smooth to sparsely pubescent; rough;             leathery. Luster, upper surface: Glossy. Luster, lower             surface: Somewhat glossy. Venation pattern: Palmate. Color:             Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker             green than 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: Close to 147A. Venation, upper surface: 147A             to darker green than 147A. Venation, lower surface: Close to             147A to darker green than 146A. Petiole: Length: About             2.8 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 147A             faintly overlain with close to 187A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 146A to 147A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Flowers arranged singly at terminal leaf             axils. Freely flowering with usually about three to four             flower buds and/or open flowers per terminal apex. Flowers             face upright to outwardly.         -   Flower appearance.—Rounded, red-colored flowers with dark             red-colored centers. Flowers are open for about one to two             days. Flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Usually spring and summer or             during periods of warm weather.         -   Flower bud (before stage of showing color).—Resistance to             abscission during shipping: Plants of the new Hibiscus have             been observed to resist flower bud drop when stored in a             closed box for 5 days at 13° C. Length: About 2.5 cm.             Diameter: About 1 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 10.7 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 7.4 cm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals that             are fused at base; petals imbricate. Length: About 6.6 cm.             Width: About 5.4 cm. Shape: Roughly obovate to spatulate.             Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; somewhat             ruffled. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous, satiny; center, waxy. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 45A; center, close to             53A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to             45B to 45C.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a tubular             star-shaped calyx. Length: About 3.3 cm. Width: About             1.2 cm. Shape: Oblong. Apex: Cuspidate. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper surface: Smooth; waxy. Texture, lower             surface: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to             146B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146A.         -   Flower bracts.—Appearance: About eight fused at base.             Length: About 1.9 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Sharply acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:             Smooth, glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Sparsely             pubescent. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 147A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.8 cm. Diameter: About 2.25 mm.             Angle: Straight to slightly bent. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: Numerous,             about 50. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close             to 53A. Anther shape: Reniform. Anther size: About 2 mm by             1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 4D. Amount of pollen:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 17A. Gynoecium: Pistil             length: About 7.1 cm. Style length: About 5.7 cm. Style             texture: Smooth, waxy. Style color: Close to 53A. Stigma             appearance: Five, rounded. Stigma color: Close to 53A. Ovary             color: Close to 144A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hibiscus have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from 0 to 38° C. -   Disease/pest tolerance: Plants of the new Hibiscus grown under     Florida production conditions have shown to be relatively tolerant     to pathogens common to Hibiscus such as Pseudomonas, Pythium and     Phytophthora. Plants of the new Hibiscus have not been observed to     be tolerant to pests and other pathogens. 

1. A new and distinct Hibiscus plant named ‘Baja Breeze’, as illustrated and described. 